Blood is Thicker Than Mist

Chapter 19

Sakinami smiled softly as she watched Shizu and Haku together. The way they interacted warmed her heart and anyone who didn't know better would think they were truly brothers by blood. Right now, the boys were simply sitting together and reading a book together, but the simplicity of this did not make it any less significant.

After watching them for a while, her daughter Miharu runs up to her and pulls on her sleeve. She whispers to her mother that Zabuza has arrived on the island.

Sakinami sighs softly and looks back at the boys. They had both been here for about a month– as Zabuza and his mysterious partner were both extremely busy with missions lately. Now it seemed that Zabuza was finally returning.

"Come on, boys." She smiles at Shizu and Haku softly. "Your father is here now."

Shizu's face lights up in his bright, sunny smile. He immediately gets to his feet and starts to pack up his things.

"Hurry up, Haku!"

Shizu nags him out of excitement as Haku packs away his books and everything else into his backpack with a natural gracefulness she'd never seen in a child before.

When Haku was packed up, Shizu was grinning ear to ear and almost bouncing on his heels. He barely said goodbye to anyone before he took Haku's hand and hurried outside to meet Zabuza.

"Dad!" Shizu beams and throws his arms around Zabuza without any hesitation. It's only after he inhales a big whiff of a metallic smell that he pulls back. His blue eyes widen at just how much dry blood covers Zabuza's uniform. "Are you okay?! Did you get hurt?!"

"Idiot." Zabuza grumbled and flicked Shizu's forehead. "It's not my blood."

"Oh." Shizu rubbed his forehead and thought for a moment. He feels relieved that his dad isn't wounded, but the idea of Zabuza having to seemingly go on yet another killing spree on a mission is something he doesn't much like.

Haku is quiet around Zabuza, as he usually is, but the past six months as a member of the household have made his quietness and formality at least more relaxed.

"Welcome back." Haku says softly to Zabuza with a respectful tone.

"Hmph." Zabuza glanced between the boys and his eyes rested on Shizu. "You haven't been an obstinate shit while I was gone, were you?"

"I haven't, 'ttebayo!" Shizu stomps his foot and frowns up at Zabuza. "I've been great!"

"Hmph."

Before the trio can leave, one of the elders slowly walks over with her cane. She smiles at Haku and holds out a book to him.

"You left this, dear."

Haku immediately bows his head and thanks her. He looks embarrassed to have forgotten anything at all and he puts the book in his backpack with the rest. The elder looks up at Zabuza with a faint smile as if she isn't afraid of the 'demon' at all.

"Your boys are a treasure to have around." She pats Haku's shoulder. "Haku here is a real prodigy. He's already mastered all of the medicinal knowledge of us elders. He's all but memorized every book and scroll we have by heart."

Zabuza raised his brow at Haku. To anyone else, he looks doubtful and critical, but Shizu grins because he knows this frown of Zabuza's means that he's impressed.

"You were studying medicine?"

Shizu nods and answers energetically for Haku. "He's great at it! Miss Saki got a bad cut on a fishing hook and Haku made some medicine paste stuff and healed it extra fast!"